Grumman G-164A accident near Estill, South Carolina, September 7, 1983
On September 7, 1983 at about 10:22 pm local time, a Grumman G-164A, registered N4698, was destroyed in an accident near Estill, South Carolina. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 1983 · about 10:22 pm local time
- Place
- Estill, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-164A · all G-164As on the register
- Registration
- N4698 · registry record · serial 1081
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SWATH RUN, THE ACFT BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, SO THE PLT ABORTED THE MISSION & STARTED BACK TO THE ARPT TO LAND. HOWEVER, BEFORE REACHING THE ARPT, THE ENG QUIT RUNNING & THE PLT LANDED IN A FIELD. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE OIL RING ON THE # 3 PISTON WAS BROKEN, BUT THE RING WAS STILL IN THE PISTON GROOVE & THERE WAS NO DAMAGE NOTED TO THE PISTON LAND OR CYLINDER WALL. A PARTIAL DISASSEMBLY OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THERE WAS APRX 2 OUNCES OF FLUID IN THE BOWL. APPRX 1/4 OF THE FLUID WAS WATER. EXCEPT FOR SOME SOOT ON THE SPARK PLUGS, NO OTHER DISCREPANCIES OF THE ENG WERE FOUND.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 1983; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,075 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Estill SC at 10:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4698 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.